Coffee making

Fed up of instant-sachet-with-chemicals coffee? Or having to schlepp to your nearest Costa for a decent cuppa? In Europe many people have devices to make good, fresh coffee at home. This seems less common in Singapore at least (where perhaps coffee has not been part of the local history in the same way?) In SG coffee lovers in the middle classes seem to opt for electronic coffee maker machines - please don't! Below are some affordable options from East and West for anyone wanting a good home brew.

1. The Cafetiere (plunger-style coffee maker)

This one is most probably French in origin, pronounced cafe-tee-AIR, but also known as a French Press and other names globally. And in my opinion it's one of the easiest ways to make good coffee for one, or a group.

Add ground coffee beans to the cafetiere, boil a kettle, wait for the kettle to cool ever so slightly (so that you don't burn the coffee with scalding water). Add the water, put in the plunger, and squish it down slowly (not completely, but enough to let the water and coffee mingle with a little pressure). Leave it for about 3 minutes to let the beans soak into the water for your drink. Then just pour like a normal teapot or jug. (The plunger stops the coffee grounds floating in your beverage!) I like this one as it can be put onto a breakfast table like a teapot for everyone to pour from, and it won't burn your table. 

The slight downside is washing the cafetiere, which can be fiddly, and leave coffee grains all over your sink. And you need to handle with care to avoid smashing.

2. Phin (the Vietnamese coffee maker)

This is one of the cheapest and easiest of methods (at least if you are in Vietnam or nearby, where these makers are available!) It was designed for the special (and I must say extremely good) Vietnam style coffee, which is dripped slowly through this device to create a very rich brew (and often mixed with condensed milk.) The downer is that traditionally it will only do one cup at a time. So it's great for one person, or you have to purchase several. (I think there are modern, giant versions out there, but no idea how well they work!)

I have only used this type once, but you basically take it apart, place the main part on top of your cup. Then add three heaped teaspoons of the Vietnamese grounds and put the perforated metal filter on top of the coffee. Pour in hot water. As for all coffee, water should be just a fraction cooler than boiling. Put the main lid on top of the device to keep the water warm. Gravity will take the water through the coffee grounds into your cup. Obviously the slower it drips through, the richer your brew, and apparently it should take about five minutes for one cup. You can temper the speed of the dripping by adjusting the filter part.

In Vietnam I believe you add the condensed milk to the cup first, and let the coffee drip through onto it. You can either mix it in after the coffee is done, or leave it to savour at the end of your drink. The coffee grounds used are generally quite grainy and can come plain or with chicory! This device works fine with other blends and styles of coffee as well.

3. The Coffee Percolator (cooker-top coffee maker)

Known also as the Perky Copulator in my family, I think due to somebody's mispronunciation. (Don't let this put you off ^^). This device seems to have mixed US/French origins.

Like the above two makers, the coffee percolator uses coffee grounds, which you can buy ready made from a supermarket or coffee vendor. Connoisseurs often prefer to buy the beans and a grinder to do their own, fresher version.

Unscrew the device, remove the 'cup like' perforated filter piece. Fill the base with water about 4/5 of the way up. Replace the filter cup and fill it with coffee grounds, patting them down until flat. Screw the jug part back on. Place onto a cooker ring to heat. The water boils and pushes up through the filter, getting steeped in coffee before it collects in the jug. You'll hear the 'kkkkrrrrkkkkrrrr' when it's nearly ready and can carefully check if the jug is full. Switch off the cooker. Pour. 

Cleaning is a little easier than the cafetiere, as after brewing, the grounds are usually dry and compacted and can be emptied easily into the bin. But you might also need a metal 'mat' for some gas cookers, to allow it to balance safely while heating. You will also need to periodically replace the rubber washer (and perhaps other parts) over the lifetime of this device. (I had one in London for over 15 years!) So before you buy, make sure that there is a local shop which sells parts, and the right size / brand.

4. Yes - expensive electronic coffee makers

Really, if decent coffee is your goal, this is not the way to go. Some will make fancy cappuccinos and other options, but you can buy cheap devices to do that if you really want it.

The downer with electronic machines is that:

a) They cost an arm and a leg to buy

b) You will be continuously tied into buying wasteful throw-away parts such as filter papers and capsules from the same manufacturer (a cash drain and a bit crap for the environment)

c) Some types will only fit / allow you to use capsules of their own branded coffee - which are both exorbitantly over-priced, and limit you to the types of blends and roasts you can drink 

d) They can also be noisy, and difficult / expensive to service

e) They just have no character!

If you want your kitchen to look like a fancy Starbucks, please go ahead and purchase one of these. And I guess if you go for the REAL, industrial Starbucks type machine (costing several $thousand!) you'll probably get a very good brew. But if you're a regular person / household and want to enjoy and experiment with good beverages, go for one of the other options!

Incidentally if anyone has intel on other traditional Asian coffee devices or methods, do add in comments. I know that there are other SE Asian coffee styles (for example the great, thick, nutty Melaka peranakan style coffee from Malaysia) but I actually have no idea what machinery is used to make them! 

A couple more Asian coffee posts:
Singapore / Indonesia: 'Civet Cat Coffee' (no s**t!)
Civet Cat Coffee - THE TRIAL  
  [Btw apologies for the appalling layout of text in this article - Blogger's formatting is malfunctioning yet again - I hope the content is still vaguely interesting!]

Available photo credits:

Legend Cookshop

Miami New Times blog